Wire connecter



- June 2-, 1931,

- G. H. BRADY WIRE CO NJNE GTER Filed March 26, 1929 VIII/Illa 4 VII/Z712) v VIII/[Illa gwumtoz Gauge EJ3724 9,

Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. BRADY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGN'OR TO IMPROVED FIRE DE- TEGTOR CORPORATION, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND wmn oomwncrnn Application filed marches, 1929. Serial 110. $50,025.

This invention relates to an improved wire connecter or bindlng post for connectm'gelectric-conductlng wires to terminals of electric circuits and the like, and one object ofthe invention is to provide a novel and im roved construction and organlzatlon of blndmg one or more conductor wires may be held firmly and securely against any possibility of casual slippage of the wire or loosening of any of the parts of the conductor.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a connecter of the character de scribed, a resilient washer of novel construction and having a novel bindin action when placed under compression, an which automatically increases the bindin action on the wire during the adjustment 0% the clamping nut.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter. fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective view showing a connecter or binding post of the character described embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional ing and terminal plate ofthe connecter, showing the looped end of the wire after being engaged by the clamping nut and before the nut is fully screwed u Fig. 3 is a view similar toFig. 2 showin the nut fully screwed up and the wire clamp 'in position and the washer diametri stressed and placed under tension.

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views of the parts as shown in Fig. 2, illustrating the end the wire looped in opposite directions.

' Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 2 showing a slight modification. Y

In the drawings is shown a support or backing plate 1 of electric insulating material,

on one side of which is placed a terminal an electric circuit orthe screw, washer and nut, whereby the ends of that the washer 6 maIv view through the backing material, said backing and terminal plates belng united by the improvedconnecter or binding post, which serves also for the connection of one or more conductonwires 3 with the parts 1 and 2 and asslolciiated elements 0 1 e. The parts land 2 are provided withre istering openings for the passage of the bin ing screw 4, which is provided at one end, on that side of the plate 1 opposite that on which the terminal plate 2 is located, with a head 5,.between which and the plate 1 is disposed a washer 6 of conducting metal, and between Y which head 5 and washer 6, or between which washer and the plate "1, may be disposedthe end of a conductor to which the wire or wires 3 are to be electrically connected by the binding post. It is to be understood, of course, be omitted or that it may form a termina of a conductor to be electrically coupled with the conductor or conductors 3 by the binding post.

The opposite end of the screw 4 is threaded to receive a nut 7 having an outer milled portion 8 and adapted for coaction with a resilient washer 9 isposed between the same and the outer surface of the terminal plate 2.

The nut 7 and washer 9 are of special construction in order to secure afirm clamping engagement of the end of the circuit conductor 3 therewith.v As shown, each washer comprises a conical body 10, the top wall of which is provided with a conlcal socket member or portion 11 dependin within the body concentric therewith an having at its 21 ex an opening 12 for the passage of the blnding post, and the nut 7 has a projecting portion 13 which is of circular form and of less diameter than the top of the socket 11 and adapted to enter the same. In applying a wire 3, the

. end of the wire is looped as at 14 and engaged with the binding post and the nut then threaded in position .to engage the looped end of the wire. As the nut is t readed on the binding post, its portion 13forces "the looped end of nut, thereby tightly uniting the parts against any possibility of relative movement or until the nut is forcibly reversely turned to relieve the binding action. Preferably the open, contracted end of the socket member 11 and free marginal bottom edge of the body 10 are normally arranged in the same plane.

The portions 10 and 11 of the washer are preferably beveled or slightl rounded at their point of connection and t e member 11,

instead of being of true conical form or ta-- pering uniforml toward its open end, is preferably provi ed at an. intermediate point with a slightly concaved portion or recess 11, to increase its resiliency and binding action and to adapt it to more firmly and securely hold the end or ends 14 of a conductor wire or wires 3. The binding portion 8 of the nut may be of any cross-sectional shape and of either uniform dimensions as shown by the portion 13, or it may be tapered, as shown at 13 in Fig. 6 for a firmer wedging action, it being essential only that the free end or face of said bin ding portion cooperating with the washer be of such diameter or transverse dimensions as to enter the flaring end of the conical socket.

Figs. 2, 3, 4. and .5 show the connecter as employed for fastening the looped end 14 of a conductor 3 in position, from which it will be understood that the wire loop 14 is arranged to encompass the screw 4 between w the washer and nut, after which the nut is screwed up to bind the parts together. Fig. 2 shows the first part of the binding action, in which the nut has been partly screwed up and the loop 14: has been forced into the conical socket- 11 and lies within the enlarged outer end of the socket, which the binding portion 13 of the nut is about to enter. Fig. shows the nut fully screwed up, and the wire looped end 14 clamped in position, from which it will be seen that as the nut is screwed up the wire looped end 14 will be forced down into the socket 11 and the latter placed under tension, as a result of which a three-fold :inding effect will be obtained, first, that -51 contracting the loop 14:- and binding it truly within the socket 11; second, that of rcieg' the open contracted end of the socket 21 \ins the plate 2 with a great binding *c-E. and, third, that of laterally spreadexpanding the body 10 to increase the area of the Washer and at the same put said body 10 under spring tension di .metric stress and cause it to bind with .csaa. force on the plate 2, by means of which he wire end 14 will not dnly be clamped will also be so right or to the left, it is immaterial against any possibility of becoming loose or disconnected, but the parts of the connecter impossible for them to work loose even under very severe shocks, jars or vibrations. Practical use with this device shows that while the nut may be very easily screwed up for thebinding action, great force must be exerted to release it, so that an extremely reliable and safe type of connecter is produced.

The form of the socket 11 is such, obviously, that when the wire loop 14 is forced downwardly thereinto, the socket is expanded and placed under compression,'while the loop is not only closed and contracted about the binding screw, but is wedged downwardly firmly coupled thatit will be a in the socket and thereby placed under tension. By this means the wire is not only elasticall gripped with great force, with the double e ect, first, of cushioning the connection so as to allow relative axial movements of the parts to relieve the same from stresses and strains, and, second, that of maintainin g the elastic binding connection in the cushioning movements, but it is immaterial in what direction the free end of the loop 14 is arranged with regard to the direction of turn-up rotation of the nut, that is to. say, assuming the nut to turn up either to the whether the loop'l i be formed as a right or a left hand loop (Figs. 2 and 4 showing, for example,'a left-hand loop and Figs. 3 and 5 a right-hand loop, in connection with a nut turning up to the right), as the forcing of the loop 14 down into the socket 11 will efiect a closing of the loop even though the looped end bedisposed in such position that normally the rotation of the nut would tend to move the looped end outward and expand the loop. With this construction of washer and nut, therefore, no precise care is necessary in disposing the looped end of the wire about the binding mrew for the clamping action. It will further be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that the ortion of the conductor 3 immediately ad acent the 14 will be accommodated in.an increase space between the portions of the washer and nut between which such part of the conductor lies, as the washer at this point will be so diametrically stressed as to be expanded to an increased degree to accommodate the wire. The provision of the socket 11 with the concaved portion 11 increases the binding effect when the socket is placed under tension and provides a keeper to still more firmly and securely hold the wire.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and mode of use of my improved connecter will be readil understood and its advantages appreciate and it will be seen that a type of connecter is provided which may be manufactured and sold at a comparativesecure manner.

1y low cost, and which may be used for all purposes where a connecter of this kind is commonly employed and it is desired to hold a conducting wire in an absolutely safe and While the construction of washer and nut disclosed is preferred, it is to be understood that the washer itself may be sold for use as an independent article of manufacture, as it may be employed in connection with abindingscrew and a nut of difierent form from that shown for binding purposes to produce a better binding eflect than is possible with corresponding parts of the constructions heretofore in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, 1 claim 1. A wire connecter comprising a binding screw, a resilient washer having an outer expansible and contractible wall and an inner expansible and contractible wall, through which latter said screw extends, and a nut for engagement with the screw and for clamping a conductor within and against the said inner wall.

2. A wire connecter comprising a binding screw, a resilient washer having a frusto conical inner socket member throu h which the screw extends and an outer usto-conical flange member surrounding the socket member and connected with the flaring end of the socket member and flaring in thedirection of the contracted end of said socket member, and a nut for engagement with the screw and clamping a conductor within and against the walls of said socket member.

3. A wire connecter comprising a binding screw, a resilient washer having a frusto conical inner socket member and a frusto-conical outer flange member, said socket member having' its wall formed with a concavity, and a nut for engagement with thescrew and for clamping a conductor within and against the walls of said socket member.

4. A wire connecter comprising a binding screw, a resilient washer having an outer expansible and contractible frusto-conical memher and an inner expansible andcontractible frusto-conical member through which the screw extends, and a nut engaging the screw and having a binding surface of less diameter than thecnlarged end of the inner memoer and adapted to enter the same to force a conductor down into and against the walls of said member. a

5. A resilient washer for connecters of the character described comprising anIinner.

frusto conical socket member open at each end and an outer conical flange member ccextensive; in depth with and surrounding said sock et member and having its contracted end connected with the flaring end of the socket member and flaring in the direction toward the contracted. end of the socket.

6. A resilient Washer for connecters ofthe character described comprising an inner ice I no 

